By Gloria Romano-Barrera.
Alina Moran’s commitment and passion for health care began at a young age while serving as an advocate for her family. Growing up with Puerto Rican parents who migrated to El Barrio in New York with limited English proficiency, it was at home where she saw how difficult it was to gain access to basic social services, including health care. Through her personal journey, she understands deeply the impact that health care has in the Hispanic community and on patients.
“As a woman, a mother and a daughter, I am acutely aware of the importance of health care that focuses on the needs of our community,” she states. “I have seen firsthand that access to care can make a significant improvement in the lives that we are able to impact.”
Today Moran is the CEO of the hospital where she was born. As the Chief Executive Officer at NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan, the community hospital of choice for residents of East Harlem, northern Manhattan, and neighboring communities, Moran is responsible for leading the day-to-day operations of the 338-bed acute care facility, overseeing a $355 million budget and over 2,500 employees. Metropolitan is a part of the NYC Health + Hospitals, the largest municipal hospital and health care system in the country, which provides essential services to 1.2 million New Yorkers every year.
Moran earned her post as the CEO while serving as Chief Financial Officer at NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst and was participating in an Advisory Board Fellowship program. This program provided Moran with leadership skills and courage to interview for an executive director role in the organization. After an extensive selection process, she was selected as the CEO of Metropolitan.
“I am responsible for establishing a system for assuring that high quality care is provided to all of our patients,” she shares. “Assuring the sound fiscal operation of the hospital while promoting services that are produced in a cost-effective manner; ensuring compliance with regulatory agencies and accrediting bodies while continually monitoring the organization’s service and delivery system; ensuring optimal fulfillment of the
hospital’s mission and strategic plan by working closely with the clinical and hospital leadership; and maintaining positive relations with community leaders and organizations.”
Under Moran’s leadership, Metropolitan has been recognized for meeting the highest national patient safety standards, and is the only hospital in NYC to receive the top “A” grade from the Leapfrog Group for Hospital Safety Scores in both Spring and Fall 2018 surveys. Metropolitan has created a nationally recognized patient safety program, based on developing and maintaining an effective team-based approach to the reducing hospital acquired infections and minimizing harm to patients and staff.
The Joint Commission and CMS have showcased Metropolitan’s work in nationally distributed training videos and webinars on best practices, and the hospital’s sustained commitment to zero patient harm has been celebrated within the NYC Health + Hospitals system. In addition, Metropolitan has achieved distinction for high performance in COPD, stroke and heart failure care, and has been designated as an accredited breast center, Baby-Friendly hospital, a Safe Sleep Champion for babies, and a LGBTQ Health care Equality Leader.
“NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan is a leader in creating innovative, patient-centered programs and services to meet the complex needs of the residents of East Harlem and other traditionally underserved communities,” shares Moran of the impact she makes in the community. Last year, they provided targeted educational outreach to over 7,000 individuals at over 100 health fairs, senior centers, schools, consulates, and community events, including Metropolitan’s annual Power of Aging Well senior health festival.
“Every day, I have the opportunity to give back to the public hospital system that helped my parents, as recently arrived immigrants, to have access to health care services,” she says. “Our system’s mission is to provide all New Yorkers with the high-quality health services with compassion, dignity and respect to all, without exception. Each day, we work with our patients and their families to live their healthiest lives.”
Moran has been involved with the Latino community since she was young. Her family were active servants in their church and they worked together to improve their local communities. At Brown University, she was involved in the establishment of the Delta Chapter of Sigma Lambda Upsilon/Señoritas Latinas Unidas Sorority, Inc. Moran also serves on the board of the East Harlem Community Alliance, Hispanic Alliance for Career Advancement (HACE), and the National Association of Hispanic Healthcare Executives.
Moran’s determination and success comes from her roots and values instilled in her. Her parents stressed the importance of education and its ability to change her life.
“My family and culture have instilled in me the need to pursue excellence, to seek knowledge and to better myself,” she shares. “My determination has served me well in my pursuit of educational and employment opportunities. Every day, I strive to coach and mentor my employees about the importance of creating learning opportunities and focusing on performance improvement.”
Committed to the values of inclusion and the importance of embracing staff members from different cultures, backgrounds and religions, Moran considers herself to be a promoter of increased diversity in the workplace. An important factor when providing health care services in New York.
“As a woman and a person of color, I have had to overcome many obstacles in my career,” she shares. “Some minor, like being told that I am too passionate because I talk with my hands, or major like, having a client think that I was the executive assistant versus the CEO. In the face of such adversity, I have remained steadfast in my sincerest efforts to provide education and cultural awareness. These obstacles have deepened my commitment to advocate for communities of color and serve as a mentor to young students.”
Alina Moran with community representative from the National Organization of Rare Diseases, at Metropolitan on Rare Disease Day, February 28, 2018.
Alina Moran (right) reviews her own birth records with staff from the Metropolitan Labor & Delivery unit, October 18, 2016.
Alina Moran (second from right) with nursing staff at the annual Power of Aging Well Senior Health Festival, in Thomas Jefferson Park, June 14, 2018.
Alina Moran (center) delivered goodies to staff who worked extra hours in the Emergency Department at Metropolitan during the blizzard of February 2017.
Alina Moran with representatives from Union Settlement Association, Buy Local East Harlem and neighborhood-based vendors at the ribbon-cutting for the Holiday Pop-Up Market at Metropolitan, November 30, 2018.
